This is an
SFPE Southern Ontario Chapter Event provided to our Members for the purposes of networking with colleagues and providing an opportunity for professional development.
Each season, we look to improve our offerings and always appreciate suggestions for events or topics.
We look forward to your participation and thank you for your support of our Chapter's efforts.
TOPIC:
As battery energy storage systems (BESS) expand across Canada—driven by electrification, renewable integration, and grid resilience—fire protection professionals and authorities having jurisdiction (AHJs) are increasingly tasked with evaluating risks associated with lithium-ion battery technologies. However, the rapid pace of deployment has outpaced clear prescriptive guidance, leaving practitioners to navigate complex hazards with limited technical clarity.
This webinar provides a practical, engineering-focused overview of lithium-ion battery fire and explosion hazards, informed by recent SFPE Foundation research. The session will examine failure mechanisms such as thermal runaway, gas generation, and deflagration risks across various applications, from electric vehicles to utility-scale BESS installations.
Participants will gain insight into:
- Fundamental hazard profiles of lithium-ion batteries across use cases.
- Key risk drivers influencing fire and explosion scenarios.
- Practical risk mitigation strategies for real-world projects.
- Considerations for design engineers, facility owners, and AHJs in evaluating BESS installations.
This session is intended for stakeholders seeking a clearer understanding of how to assess and manage BESS-related risks.
Speaker Information:
Name: Bishoy N. Awad, Ph.D., P.Eng., PMSFPE, PMP, ITC, BCIN
Title: Senior Fire Protection Engineer at Fire & Risk Alliance & SFPE SOC Vice President & Program Chair
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Bio:
With over a decade of experience across North America and the Middle East, Dr. Awad specializes in designing, managing, and testing fire protection systems. With his current role at FRA, he focuses on performance-based design and risk assessment for data centers, LNG facilities, EV parking garages, battery manufacturing plants, and BESS. His work involves fire and explosion modeling (CFD simulations), hazard mitigation analyses (HMA), and community risk assessments (CRA).
Dr. Awad serves on the NFPA 800 Battery Safety Code Technical Committee and the SFPE RTM committee's Existing Building Task Group. He is also a visiting professor at Carleton University. He is a Professional Engineer in Ontario (P.Eng.), Project Management Professional (PMP), a registered code practitioner (BCIN), and a ULC-S1001 Integrated Testing Coordinator (ITC). Dr. Awad is a certified Gexcon FLACS user.
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